Clemson overcame a slow start and a 14-point deficit Saturday afternoon, rallying past North Carolina 28-20 at Memorial Stadium to pick up its first ACC victory of the season.
North Carolina controlled the early going, jumping out to a 14-3 first-quarter lead and taking a 17-6 advantage into halftime. But Clemson came alive after the break, outscoring the Tar Heels 22-3 in the second half.
Freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds, making his first career start for Clemson, completed 20 of 29 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown. Running back Gideon Davidson provided a big spark on the ground, rushing for 105 yards, including a 45-yard run that helped set up his go-ahead eight-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
The game was interrupted by a lengthy lightning delay with North Carolina leading 17-15 and threatening to score. After a delay of nearly two and a half hours, the Tar Heels settled for a field goal to make it 20-15. Clemson answered immediately, with Davidson’s touchdown putting the Tigers in front 21-20.
Clemson added some insurance when Tyler Brown broke loose for a 34-yard touchdown run in the final minutes. The Tiger defense then slammed the door when Elliot Washington intercepted Billy Edwards Jr. with 32 seconds remaining to seal the comeback victory.
Clemson finished with 401 yards of total offense, while North Carolina totaled 349. The victory improved the Tigers to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in ACC play, while the Tar Heels dropped to 2-1 and 0-1 in the conference.
Up next, Clemson heads west for another ACC matchup as the Tigers take on California Friday night.
